Near-eye devices for augmented reality, and the like, are being developed.
A known near-eye device is shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a light source 101 and collimating lens 103 arranged to illuminate a spatial light modulator 107 via a beam splitter 105. Spatial light modulator 107 comprises an array of amplitude modulating elements arranged to form an image. More specifically, the amplitude of light incident on spatial light modulator 107 is spatially modulated to form an image. The image may be viewed through beam splitter 105. More specifically, the image on spatial light modulator 107 forms a first optical input of a beam combiner 109. Beam combiner 109 also comprises a second optical input 123 which provides a field of view of a real world scene.
Beam combiner 109 comprises a spherical surface 111 which causes the image from the spatial light modulator 107 to become divergent. The beam combiner 109 is further arranged to at least partially reflect the divergent image to an optical output 125 of the beam combiner.
Light received on the second optical input 123 is also directed to the optical output 125 of the beam combiner 109. In this respect, it may be understood that the beam combiner combines a real world image with a diverging image from the spatial light modulator 107. It can therefore be understood that a real world image is augmented with an image from a spatial light modulator. Notably, the device described with reference to FIG. 1 provides a spherical surface 111 so that the image on the spatial light modulator appears to have come from some fixed point in space behind the beam combiner. The image from the spatial light modulator 107 therefore appears to have come from some fixed point in space defined by the radius of curvature of the spherical surface 111.
The present disclosure aims to provide an improved near-eye device.